Whenever I have a big photoshoot and I need an extra pair of hands to help hold up a reflector, cuddle the baby, help set up all my gear, rattle a toy above my head to get a smile, and so much more, I can always rely on my mum to be there to assist me. Therefore, it only seemed right that when all of the family was down for Christmas (which is a rare occurrence) we took the opportunity to capture some professional family portraits.

I honestly can’t remember the last time we had a professional family shoot. I think it might have been when we were all living under the same roof, and together jumped in the one car (ok..van) and headed on down to a local portrait place. So I decided it was time to take on this task!

Let just say photographing someone else’s family is one thing, but photographing my own…having to plan, style, coordinate, position and direct everyone while also running into each shot under 10 seconds is definitely another!!​Looking back at our family shoot it was actually quite hilarious! There was someone running late, then the light changed, his shoes didn’t match, someone broke the stool, then there were tears, tantrums and talking over the top of one another! But after it was all finished we all had a good laugh, took some silly pics, enjoyed a glass of wine and in the end have captured some beautiful memories, that will not only last a lifetime but will hopefully be passed down to future generations. Even though photographing my family may have been a challenge, I know it is a gift. We are together, healthy and happy. For this and so much more, I am grateful.